Chapter 12

Violet spent the next couple of weeks going over what she knew. Dimitri continued to feed her information, and she made a plan.

She learned everything there was to know and decided she would act like she was returning to her father before using the knowledge she had to take him down.

She left in the middle of the night while Anatoli was sleeping. She knew he would try to stop her and they would only end up fighting.

The last few days between them had been some of the best days they’d had. She’d made sure the last couple of days were filled with love and great memories in case something happened.

Before she left the house, she wrote a letter to Anatoli and left it on the table, hoping he would find it when he woke up.

She knew it would be hard to leave him, but she didn’t know that she would feel like a part of her heart was being ripped out.

She let out a quiet sob before starting the car and leaving the Volkov property, the place she had called home for the past two years. The place that had given her the ability to live again.

***

Violet knew she couldn’t go straight to her father’s compound. She needed to lay low for a few days before she went there.

Anatoli would expect her to go there, but once his men told him they hadn’t seen her, he would look elsewhere for her.

She found a motel in the next town over and paid for the room in cash using an alias, making it harder for Anatoli to track her. She also ditched the car once she was two cities away.

Violet used a rental car for the rest of the trip. If Anatoli was tracking her, he would be set back when he found the car, and she would be a few days ahead of him.

But she knew it wouldn’t take him long to find her. She only hoped that he wouldn't automatically assume she went after her father.

The motel was small and out of the way. It wasn’t fancy, but it gave her what she needed. It gave her the privacy to look over the files she had collected from Dimitri.

She was studying them to see if there were any noticeable weaknesses in his defenses or employees.

She knew her father wasn’t as smart as he thought he was, but he was dangerous. She needed to always be one step ahead.

***

Anatoli woke up at his normal time, expecting to see Violet lying next to him like every morning.

He was looking forward to seeing her before he started his day, but when he reached over and realized her spot was empty, he opened his eyes and quickly sat up.

“Violet,” he called out, hoping she would answer. When she didn’t answer, he checked the house and started to grow worried.

It wasn’t until he made his way down to the kitchen and found the note from Violet that he became angry.

~Anatoli, ~

~I know when you read this you are going to be angry at me, but I couldn’t stay here. I need to find closure alone, without putting ~any~one at risk. ~

~The only thing I’ll tell you is I’m not at my father’s. For the last two years you have made me happy, and I hope we can continue our time together when I come back~.~

~B~But for now, I need time and space. Always remember that I love you and you are one of the most important things to me. I hope to see you soon. ~

~Love always, ~

~Your lyubov Violet ~

Violet was right. Anatoli was pissed at her. His anger came from her being stubborn and not allowing them to help, for putting her life in danger, and for not telling him exactly where she was.

***

“She’s gone,” Anatoli yelled as he rushed into Max and Dimitri’s office, slamming the note down on their desk.

“Who?” Max asked.

“Violet! Who else would I be this upset over? I know she is trying to take care of this shit by herself.”

Dimitri stood, walking over to Anatoli and placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

“She’s smart, and we have a lot of resources. We’ll try to find her before she does something. Don’t underestimate her. She wants revenge, but she doesn’t want to hurt the people she loves.”

“I’ve been underestimating her the entire time, haven’t I?”

“You have. She’s a strong woman, and we need to recognize that. She is a lot like Kyle.

“She seems timid and shy, but deep down she is strong and determined to do things the right way, which may not be the right way for us.”

“You’ve become soft since starting a family,” Anatoli joked.

“I wouldn’t tease. The same thing has happened to you since Violet appeared in your life.”

“I need her back. If anything happens to her I’ll never forgive myself.”

Anatoli let out a sigh before flopping down on the couch in the office.

He knew he sounded like a little boy, but Violet meant everything to him. She was the first woman he had fallen in love with and the only one he wanted.

He loved everything about her, even her stubbornness.

“Do either of you have any clues?”

Dimitri let out a cough before speaking.

“I’ve been giving her copies of the information we’ve found. I didn’t think it was fair that we were keeping her in the dark. But I didn’t think she would run off and try to accomplish this alone.”

As much as he wanted to punch Dimitri, Anatoli knew he didn’t mean any harm by providing her with information.

He also knew that he needed their help and it was best to not take his anger out on them.